AI-powered search startup Perplexity has officially launched its Comet browser for Android, bringing its AI-centric browsing experience to mobile users. The move follows the browser’s initial debut on desktop in July, where it introduced advanced AI-driven search capabilities.
Key Features on Android
The Android version of Comet mirrors most of the functionality available on desktop, offering a seamless AI-enhanced browsing experience. Users can:
- Set Perplexity as the default search engine for quick, AI-powered queries.
- Interact with tabs using natural language: Mention specific tabs when asking questions or request summaries across all open tabs.
- Use voice mode to ask questions about multiple tabs simultaneously.
- Shop and research with AI assistance, while monitoring the actions taken by the Comet assistant.
- Enjoy an ad-free experience thanks to the built-in ad blocker.
Upcoming Enhancements
Perplexity plans to roll out additional features in the coming weeks, including:
- A conversational agent capable of searching across sites and performing actions.
- Custom shortcuts for quick assistant-driven tasks.
- A fully functional password manager for secure credential storage.
Earlier this month, the company upgraded its Comet Assistant on desktop to handle more complex, long-running tasks, such as transferring data from websites into spreadsheets—hinting at similar capabilities for mobile in the future.
Platform Strategy and Partnerships
While Android is the first mobile platform to receive Comet, iOS support is coming soon, according to Perplexity. The company prioritized Android due to strong interest from carriers and OEMs seeking to integrate Comet into their devices and solutions. However, no new partnership announcements accompanied today’s launch.
Perplexity previously partnered with Motorola to preload its app on Motorola devices, but it remains unclear whether this agreement will extend to the new Comet browser.
Competitive Landscape and Security Concerns
The AI browser space is heating up, with players like OpenAI, Opera, and The Browser Company (now owned by Atlassian) introducing AI-powered browsing experiences—primarily on desktop. While The Browser Company launched Arc Search for mobile last year, updates have been sparse, and its new browser, Dia, has yet to reach mobile.
These companies aim to challenge incumbents like Chrome and Safari, but security experts have raised concerns about vulnerabilities in AI agents. In October, Perplexity acknowledged these risks in a blog post, noting that AI-driven browsing introduces new attack paradigms that require rethinking security from the ground up.
